Stepping Up to the Plate

CARSON wrappedhersheys.com stepped up to the plate to contribute to the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields in Fairfield, Ohio. These fields were created to help every child have the chance to play a little baseball. They include two rubberized softball fields made of a durable rubber surface that will afford children, adults and veterans with limited mobility a safe place to play baseball. The plan for the complex also includes state-of-the-art handicapped-accessible restrooms, a level parking lot, ground-level covered dugouts, electronic scoreboards, a concession stand pavilion and stadium seating for spectators. To thank them for their contribution, Scott and Sharon received hard hats and a glass vial of earth from the Miracle League Fields. We are proud to be able to help out with such a noble and worthwhile cause!

Coats & Clothes for our Community

After our holiday shopping spree for the children for New Life, we found ourselves with a bit of extra money to spend. Kohl’s gives its customers gift certificates to use at their next visit with every $50 purchase. A few of our wrappedhersheys.com employees took this Kohl’s Cash to purchase more coats, clothes and shoes. When contemplating where to donate these extra gifts, it was quickly decided that the perfect home for these items was with the Roberts Paideia Academy in Cincinnati. This Cincinnati public school strives to ensure that each student receives a quality education and is supported emotionally, socially and spiritually.

Once the school received our gift, we received a kind thank you letter from the Principal and CLC Resource Coordinator. They said, “The coats, clothes and shoes will help many of our students who have tried to wear their jackets just one more year, or do not have an actual winter coat. Your kindness and commitment goes a long way to supplement the extras that mean so much to our students.”

At Carson wrappedhersheys.com, we are glad to be able to give back to our community in a positive way and help our youth. We can’t wait to shop again next year!

'Tis the Season to Give Back

This Holiday Season CARSON wrappedhersheys.com played Santa Claus for 50 disadvantaged girls and boys by shopping and wrapping hundreds of presents for them to open on Christmas. We coordinated our efforts with New Life as part of their seasonal outreach.

The entire Carson team visited Kohl’s and purchased coats, pj's, shirts, pants, shoes, socks and toys for a long list of deserving children. Check out our video to see each sweet employee shop for kids ages 1-14 until they dropped! Everyone met at the check out lines reserved for us with their carts full of delightful presents and hauled them back to the Carson warehouse for sorting and wrapping. It was a truly jolly experience to be able to give back during this heartwarming season.

 

Sweetening the Red Tie Gala

This October, PNC is presenting the Red Tie Gala to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati. This wonderful organization provides a supportive “home away from home” for families and their children who are receiving treatment at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center or other area hospitals. They offer families a comfortable place to sleep, home-cooked meals, shared living spaces, play areas, ongoing support, and much, much more. In 2010, RMH was able to serve over 1,200 families in Cincinnati and hopes to continue providing support with the help of generous donations at the Red Tie Gala.

CARSON wrappedhersheys.com is providing a basket to be auctioned off at the event which includes a $100 gift certificate and a variety of our wrapped chocolate samples. We hope that the event is a success and that the winner enjoys shopping with us!

Carson Paints the Town

This weekend the team at CARSON wrappedhersheys.com had the opportunity to participate in Give Back Cincinnati's Paint the Town. The event was an amazing experience for all involved and we were thrilled to get the chance to be a part of such a great cause.

Things weren't looking so hot for the nearly 1,500 volunteers ready to paint as the morning started off with a huge thunderstorm and a torrential downpour. However, by the time we had checked-in, ate a delicious breakfast, got our t-shirts (pink team!) and met with our team leaders, the skies had miraculously cleared and it was shaping up to be a great day!

When we arrived at the site our team got to work quickly to get as much done before the next round of anticipated showers. We were such an efficient group that we were nearly done by lunch time without a storm cloud in sight.

After a much needed lunch break of Chick-fil-A sandwiches, Grippos Potato Chips and Potbelly cookies we were back to work. We finished up with enough time to even do some yard work and spend time with the owner of the home (she was as sweet as they come). We were even one of the first teams back to the after party where we got to bond with our fellow co-workers and new friends with food and drinks provided by Gold Star Chili, Buona Vita Pizza and Christian Moerlein Brewing Co.

Overall, it was a wonderful day. Together, all of the volunteers painted a total of 40 homes in Dayton and Bellevue, KY. Everyone had a blast and we are definitely planning on participating next year as well. A big thank you to Give Back Cincinnati for putting together such an amazing day and allowing us to be a part of it!

CARSON Gets Ready to Paint the Town

Paint the Town is an event where volunteers come together to revive a group of houses for homeowners who don’t have the means to do so themselves. This daylong event involves over 1,000 people painting 40 homes. This year, we have decided to round up a “sweet” group of people to participate in this worthy event. Paint the Town will take place on June 11th and volunteers will be provided with meals and a T-shirt. If you’d like to help out, you can register or donate to the cause. Keep a look out for our reaction to the event as well as some photos. We can’t wait to get involved and get some paint on our jeans!

Giving Back to Happy Hollow Camp

Happy Hollow Camp impacts the lives of over 800 financially disadvantaged and special needs children from Central Indiana each year, providing week long wilderness experiences in rural Brown County, Indiana. Campers are encouraged to pay a nominal fee for their stay at Happy Hollow Children’s Camp, though no child is turned away if their family is unable to contribute. Through the generosity of donors Happy Hollow has been able to continue its mission for 60 years.

Longtime family friends, Bryan and Jo-Ann Swank, have supported Happy Hollow for many years. When Jo-Ann contacted me about ordering Miniatures for the camp’s 20th Annual Gala, I saw an opportunity to make a “mini” difference.

This was a perfect chance to put our Giving Back gift certificates from CARSON wrappedhersheys.com to use, covering the cost of the minis for the camp’s Under the Stars benefit dinner where guests had the opportunity to purchase a raffle ticket for $100. With their ticket each guest received a pretty black box. One lucky guest found a diamond in the box; the others found Happy Hollow minis.

"I can't thank you enough - the minis were wonderful! Guests commented that receiving them in their box was a great way to soften the "blow" of not winning the diamond. The minis just made the diamond raffle a lot sweeter! We want our guests to come back year after year and continue to support the camp. You have helped Happy Hollow have a successful fund raising event. Thanks to you and Bob for selecting Happy Hollow as the recipient of your Giving Back gift certificates. We think the people at CARSON are terrific!"                          - JoAnn

New Ways to Give Back

One of the things that I love about working here at CARSON wrappedhersheys.com is Carson's commitment to give back to the communities in which we live and work. It is so great to work at a place that wants to do their part to make a difference and we recently found that now we will have even more opportunities to get involved. 

This year as part of our Carson Gives Back initiative, every employee will receive a $75 gift certificate to use towards a non-profit organization or charity event of our choice. Even better Carson has pledged to match personal product donations that we make to benefit any charitable group.

As someone who is very passionate about volunteering and giving back to the community I am thrilled about this wonderful opportunity. Check back regularly to see about all the exciting ways the Carson team has made a difference through this new program. I can't wait to see what we come up with!

Candy Bars for a Cause

A car dealer, breast cancer and candy bars...sounds like the start of a joke. However on December 4, Beechmont Ford will be hosting a Women's Holiday Expo benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure and included in the gift bags you'll find custom wrapped Hershey's chocolate bars.

It's hard to go anywhere and not see pink ribbons. I've attended events before benefitting the cause but it was this event Lorinn Williams started that led me to investigate the Susan G. Komen story. In 1982, Nancy Brinker launched Susan G. Komen for the Cure. She fulfilled a promise to her sister, Susan, to do everything in her power to end breast cancer. Today, her movement is the world's largest grassroots network of survivors and activists. One person really can make a difference.

CMA Walk-A-Thon

Last Friday the weather was beautiful; a perfect day for a walk.  Or, for the children at Central Montessori Academy, a 3,428 lap Walk-A-Thon!

CMA is an Independent Montessori school for children from birth to the sixth grade in Springfield Township, Ohio, where my son attends Kindergarten.  
 
The school’s goal was to raise $15,000, with 100% student participation, to upgrade the playground and outdoor learning environment.   The students were encouraged to ask for sponsors as they worked together toward their personal goals of $100 and 50 laps.   
 
Spencer took this very seriously and I was quite proud of him as he talked to our neighbors, friends and family.  He started by explaining the walk-a-thon, sharing his goal to raise $100 and his commitment to walk 50 laps.  He would close by saying, “I need you to ‘responsor’ me and give me some dollars, but you don’t have to give me all 100 of them.”  He put a little pressure on Nana; “Nana, we need a commitment.  I need $100.”
 
CARSON wrappedhersheys.com was a corporate “responsor” for this successful event and maybe one day we can stop by to play at the playground.  Though I’m not sure all of the playground dreams will come true.